Maybe you're a soon-to-be-Danny Kass--snowboarding is your life! Or maybe that poster of skier Bode Miller on your bedroom wall is what inspires you? Now, if only you could grab freebies from sponsors the way the pros do. If you have the passion, there are actually ways to save on snow sports without being a pro. A snow sports club, for skiing and/or snowboarding, could get you on the mountain for less.

Contact nearby mountains and resorts for information about any existing local ski and snowboard clubs you could join. If you're a student, check out your school's website or call the athletic department about any existing snow sport clubs. Also, ask at local ski and snowboard shops about any clubs or people interested in starting one.

Can't find a club? No problem--start one! If there are people in your school, community or group of friends that love to ski or snowboard (or want to learn), then it's time to hit the lifts!

1. Get a group of people together that are interested in starting a club. Try sending out a mass email to your friends and putting up flyers around town. Set up a meeting to talk about starting a club. If you provide snacks, you'll draw a crowd for sure.
2. College students should ask their club sports coordinator about starting up an official school club and obtaining available funding. Any funding helps. If you're in high school, talk to your athletic director or counselor about how you might start a club.
3. Elect a treasurer (to handle the money), information coordinator (to keep everyone correctly informed), a driving director (to coordinate drivers and/or bus scheduling) and a membership representative (to make sure members' needs are being met). Different clubs organize in different ways, depending on the needs of members. Check out skifederation.org to see some sample descriptions of club duties broken up by position.

Resort websites are great sources of information. Take advantage of popular discount events they may offer, such as ladies-only days, two-for-Tuesdays, youth days or school ID nights.

Find out if any nearby resorts offer group discounts on rental gear and lift tickets. Keep in mind that a minimum group number is usually required. Ask about bonuses like free lessons or free rentals. If the resort doesn't have any group discounts, talk to the manager or owner about the possibility of starting one. If your club is large enough or visits the mountain regularly, they may be willing to team up with you to draw in more customers through your club.

Now that you've got a few people and a place to go, the next step is to look to your community for support. A local ski or snowboard shop may be interested in sponsoring your club in a number of ways. Consider asking them to host your club meetings or to have special discounts for members. They might even help pay for expenses like transportation or lift tickets if you help market their brand. It doesn't hurt to ask.

Sources:

skinakiska.com; caberfaepeaks.com; slidingonthecheap.com; collegemarketplace.com; bridgerbowl.com; connpost.com; skiswissvalley.com; sturtevants.com; caltech.edu; nsaa.org; skifederation.org; icrecsports.com